Your team is busy—dealing with deadlines, new projects, and endless demands. At times, they seem stressed, and they may even admit to it. Yet as a leader, you still need to delegate more to focus on higher priorities. That’s where the dilemma lies. You empathize with their workload—you’ve been there yourself. But the challenge for leaders is not to slip into sympathy. Unless people are stretched and tested, we never truly know their capacity. I’m living this in real time with a client, a high-performing executive at a large company. Like her team, she is extremely busy. When I suggested delegating more, her immediate response was: “I can’t give them more—they’re already overloaded.” My reply was simple: “How do you know for [...]

As leaders, we wear many hats, but one of the most important roles we play is developing our people. Years ago, I adopted a personal mantra that I’ve been intentional about living out: “People Growth = Business Growth. Lack of People Growth = Business in Decay.” Time and experience have proven this true. When our people are learning, sharpening critical skills, and improving their daily habits, the business has a far greater opportunity to grow. There are no guarantees, but if people aren’t growing or improving, you can almost guarantee the business won’t either. Coaching and mentoring the right people leads to better results. And effective coaching always starts with the leader’s mindset. Entering each session with positivity, enthusiasm, and a focused mindset is [...]